by Katie Reus
She laughed lightly against his back. “Stop apologizing for protecting me. Besides it’s cold outside and I’ve had a lot of fun in here with you.” Her voice took on a seductive quality, her grip around him tightening.
Grinning, he reached up and pulled the curtains into place over the door before turning to pull Zoe into his arms. They’d definitely found ways to occupy their time. He’d already fallen hard for this woman. The sex was part of it; their chemistry undeniable, but it was more. Way more. Once they returned to Miami he wanted something serious with her. Hell, he wanted serious right now. “So what did your brother and mom say?” She’d gone up to her room—which he was now sharing with her—to call her family.
“Vincent wants me to come home but my mom’s glad I’m here with you. She likes you a lot.” Zoe paused, watching him carefully, as if debating something.
He liked her mom too but decided not to respond when it was clear she wanted to say more. He’d noticed that she did that sometimes, was silent while she gathered her thoughts. When she didn’t continue, he chose to break the silence, tightening his arms around her waist. “What is it?”
Zoe bit her full bottom lip, her dark eyes filled with too many complex emotions for him to sift through. One of her hands was on his hip but she placed the other on his chest. “You don’t have to say yes, but…if it’s safe enough by then, my mom wanted to invite you over for Christmas dinner. But only if you don’t have plans, don’t feel obligated or anything,” she rushed to add.
Her invitation warmed him, telling him she really did want him in her life. Not just physically. The invitation might have come from her mom, but Zoe wouldn’t have mentioned it if she didn’t want him there. Still, he wanted her to ask. “Your mom invited me? What about you, do you want me there?”
Her cheeks flushed red. “What do you think?”
“I think I want to hear you say the words.”
“You are maddening,” she muttered, a grin pulling at her lips. “Fine, I would like to invite you over for Christmas dinner—and Christmas Eve. It’s not a big deal, but on Christmas Eve we all get together to open one present and play dirty Santa.” For just a moment, a raw vulnerability bled into her gaze before she quickly covered it.
“I’d love to,” he murmured, dropping a soft kiss on her lips. He hadn’t planned to go home this year because it would have been too much travel after just starting a new job, but especially not now when things with Zoe’s stalker were still up in the air. Sawyer had spoken to Carlito a couple hours ago and they were still running down leads. He knew they couldn’t hide out forever and would have to head back to Miami for Christmas no matter if the guy was caught or not.
Her eyes lit up for a second, but then she frowned. “You’re sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“Zoe,” he rasped out before crushing his mouth over hers in a swift, claiming kiss. Though he hated to, he pulled back, his heart rate already kicking up at the simple taste of her. “I don’t feel pressured. I want to date you—and only you.” While his experience with real relationships was limited, he figured he needed to make this clear since it apparently wasn’t.
She watched him for a long moment, her beautiful eyes unreadable. Finally she pressed against his chest. “I’ve got hot chocolate in the kitchen—instant, so don’t get too excited,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips before her expression turned serious. “Let’s drink it while it’s hot and… I need to tell you something.”
His gut clenched at her words and worried expression. He told her that he wanted to date only her and her response was that she wanted to tell him something over instant hot chocolate. That did not sound promising. “Okay.”
Once in the big kitchen she took a seat at the center island, waiting for him to join her before she picked up her mug. “I didn’t know if you wanted marshmallows,” she said, nodding at the open bag. He noticed she’d added a ton to hers.
“Thanks.” He tossed some in, letting them melt while he waited for her to say whatever it was she needed to get off her chest. He just hoped it wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him, because he wasn’t sure how he’d deal with that.
“I’ve only had one serious relationship, which is probably pretty sad, but there it is. I was with Rubin for a couple years. We had a lot in common and… Well, that’s not important.” Her cheeks flushed slightly as she continued. “We were serious and heading for marriage. Or, I mistakenly thought we were. The day after we graduated from med school, he…” She swallowed hard, but didn’t take her gaze from Sawyer. “He ended things because he was getting back together with his ex. He said he’d wanted to wait until after exams to end things because he didn’t want to affect my finals—which was actually really nice of him. The thing is, he was a decent guy. I wish I could talk trash about him and say how awful he was, but… I guess what I’m trying to say is I had the perfect guy on paper and it didn’t work out because I wasn’t enough—”
“Bullshit,” Sawyer snapped out.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“The fact that you didn’t work out with him isn’t because you weren’t enough.” He scowled, the very thought pissing him off.
“Well, whatever the reason, we didn’t work out because he was still hung up on his ex. I really like you, Sawyer.” God he loved it when she said his name. “I’m falling for you faster than I imagined possible to fall for anyone and, I just…” She trailed off and it took him a few seconds to understand what she was saying—or wasn’t saying.
Hoping he wasn’t completely in left field with his assumption, he took her free hand in his. “I’m not still hung up on Audrey.” Even saying her name after so long felt odd. He hadn’t thought about her in years. Zoe stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away and for that he was glad. “I loved her, or thought I did. Back then all I did was travel and as crass as it sounds, she was someone to come home to.” Things had been purely physical between them, he just hadn’t been able to tell the difference, something he didn’t think Zoe needed to hear right now.
“I was in a different place then, gone out of the country more often than not and…if you’re worried that I’m settling or that you’re second to anyone, that’s insane. What I feel for you is different than anything I’ve ever felt before. I can see a future with us.” Putting that out there made him feel so damn exposed but he needed her to know, to understand.
She pushed out a long breath, as if she’d been holding it, before a real smile broke out over her face. The kind that made his entire body react. “I can too.”
Thank God. “Since we’re in confession mode, you should know that I followed you yesterday. After you told me to leave and ran your errands… I was fucking worried and tailed you to make sure no one else was watching you. Once you made it to your street, I headed home.” Now he wished he’d just followed her all the way to her driveway considering the ‘present’ she’d been left on her doorstep. “After what you’ve been through, I just want it out there.”
Her eyebrows raised a fraction. “You followed me to the salon and everywhere else?”
He nodded.
She let out a short laugh. “I think I’m more embarrassed than anything that I didn’t even notice.”
“If you had noticed then I need to find a new job,” he murmured, thankful she didn’t seem angry at him.
Shaking her head, she smiled then leaned closer to him. His whole body tightened as he moved in to cover the distance between them. His cell phone rang, making them both pause. Zoe let out a soft groan and sat back in her seat, plucking her hot chocolate from the counter. “You better see who it is.”
Even though he didn’t want to, he pulled his phone from his pants pocket. When he saw Detective Duarte’s name on the caller ID, he answered immediately. “Yeah?”
Zoe straightened, watching him carefully.
Carlito’s voice came through crystal clear. “Everything’s fine, just calling to check on you guys and to let you know I’ve put in a call to the Sai
nt Augustine PD to let them know what’s going on and to give them your address. If you see a patrol car drive by more than once tonight, that’s why.”
Sawyer’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Thanks. I’ll let Zoe know. Any news?”
The other man sighed. “Nothing solid. Klein’s wife gave me a list of possible women her ex either had an affair with or was possibly still having one with. She hadn’t talked to him in months and isn’t sure he was sleeping with all of them, but she had her suspicions. It’s pretty extensive for one guy.” He sounded disgusted.
“You want Zoe to look at it?” Maybe she knew one or more of the women, which might not mean anything at all, but it could be a help if there was some connection to Zoe and Klein that intersected somewhere.
“Yeah, I’ve just emailed it to her but wanted to give you guys a head’s up in case she wasn’t checking often. You sure you guys are doing good?”
“Yeah, locked down tight. Security system’s top of the line and I’m armed.”
After a few more minutes of small talk, they disconnected and he relayed the message to Zoe.
She slid off her seat, barely concealed hope in her eyes. “I’m going to grab my phone and check my email.”
“I’ll head up with you. Once you’ve read it, we can use the hot tub on the upper deck.” Because even if someone was using a high-powered rifle with night vision—from a boat on the ocean—they were still safe on the upper deck. He’d already scouted it out and the layout gave them privacy from the beach. His brother had had the house built that way, so they could still use the hot tub in the winter and be blocked from the ocean wind. Of course the two heaters in the hot tub alcove would keep them warm too.
Her eyes glinted with lust as she nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
He might hate that the situation was so bad Zoe was forced into hiding, but he was glad things between them had moved so fast. He didn’t plan on slowing down either. He wanted everything from Zoe and convincing her that he was in this for the long-term was going to involve a lot of naked time together if he had anything to say about it.
Chapter 13
Zoe slid into the hot tub, embracing the heat as it enveloped her. Sawyer had been right, this was a great idea. The alarm on the house was set and unless someone used a grappling hook, they weren’t getting to the upper deck. Even though it was on the second floor, it was technically three stories up because the first level was on stilts so she wasn’t worried about someone climbing up to attack them.
Since Sawyer wasn’t either, she was letting herself relax. As much as she could anyway. The day spent with Sawyer had been therapeutic.
“What are you thinking?” Sawyer asked, stepping into the water and sitting next to her. He’d slid his gun under one of the towels, keeping it close just in case.
Which was fine with her. She shifted and turned sideways, putting her feet in his lap, thinking that they would be naked in a few minutes. She wasn’t even sure why they’d bothered with bathing suits. “That this is a weird kind of vacation but there’s nowhere else I want to be right now.”
He gave her one of those boyish grins that made butterflies take off inside her. Sawyer was all man, with a rugged face, sharp lines and striations showcasing all his muscles, but sometimes when he smiled he looked a decade younger. The man was sexy and adorable at the same time. “I agree.”
“You sure you’re not going to get in trouble at work for this?” She held up her hands when he frowned, his expression darkening. He’d already reassured her, but she still felt bad that she’d pulled him away from a new job. “I’m just making sure. Taking a management position with Red Stone is a big deal.”
He sighed but nodded. “Trust me, it’s fine. I explained everything to Porter Caldwell and he was more than happy to let me off to help you.”
“Happy?” Zoe had met all the Caldwell brothers and they were pretty intense. So was Sawyer, but still, she couldn’t imagine Porter being ‘happy’ to let Sawyer take time off so soon after starting.
Sawyer nodded. “Apparently you helped out Red Stone not too long ago when one of their agents was kidnapped. Got them access to the hospital’s security feeds without involving law enforcement?”
“Oh, right.” She hadn’t forgotten, but she hadn’t realized Porter Caldwell had known about it. Though she should have. “I had to go on a date with someone for that,” she muttered, remembering how annoyed she’d been at the time. And relieved when everything had worked out.
Sawyer laughed. “I take it everything ended up okay?”
She nodded. “Yep. The woman doesn’t work for Red Stone anymore and as far as I know, she actually freed herself from the kidnapper, but things definitely worked out since she’s now blissfully married to an honest to goodness billionaire.” Her brother had gone to their wedding over the summer.
Sawyer let out a low whistle.
“I know, right?”
Sawyer started massaging one of her feet, his knuckles rubbing over her arch, his eyes going heavy-lidded as he watched her. “So, you don’t mind breaking the rules just a little bit, huh?”
Grinning, she started to answer when Sawyer stilled and dropped her foot. He turned, going for his gun when she heard, then saw the problem.
Viola was standing in the doorway to the bedroom, a gun pointed directly at Sawyer’s chest.
Zoe’s heart felt as if it stopped as she watched the other woman step out onto the deck, her normally sleek black hair a tangled mess around her pretty face. Her blue eyes were glassy and her black jacket and jogging pants were shredded in places. What. The. Hell.
“Don’t move a muscle!” Viola snapped, her hands shaking. She couldn’t know Sawyer had a weapon hidden, or Zoe didn’t think the woman did.
Zoe felt frozen, unable to look away from the barrel of the gun. As a surgeon, she’d seen firsthand exactly how deadly they could be, what a bullet could do to someone’s insides. And right now a maniac was pointing one at the man she’d fallen for. Her stomach roiled.
“No one’s moving,” Sawyer said, his voice incredibly calm.
That was what tugged Zoe out of her frozen state. She cleared her throat and focused on Viola’s rage-filled face. “Viola, what’s going on?” Somehow, her voice didn’t shake.
The woman’s gaze and weapon trained on Zoe. “It’s all your fault he’s dead!”
Next to her Sawyer stiffened a fraction, but he didn’t make any sudden moves. Zoe swallowed hard, trying to remain calm. “Who is dead?”
“Braddock, you idiot.” Her voice and hands shook again, making Zoe tense.
“I didn’t kill him.”
Viola’s jaw clenched. “I know that. I did, but it’s your fault. He was happy with me, had even left his wife, but the second he strolls back into town he had to see you. It was always about you,” she spat, her eyes glittering with surprising tears.
Zoe stared at the woman in confusion and terror. It sounded a lot like her stalker had had a stalker of his own. And Viola was clearly certifiable. Zoe was terrified but knew she needed to keep Viola talking, anything to keep the woman focused on her and not Sawyer. “Why did you get a job at Gerard’s practice?” Because Viola had started working there after Zoe had. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
Next to Zoe, Sawyer shifted a fraction. It was subtle, the movement barely discernible over the bubbles of the jets.
Her blue eyes narrowed angrily. “To keep an eye on you. I knew you were after Braddock but I thought maybe you’d moved on when you quit at the hospital, when you realized you couldn’t have him. That he was mine.”
Zoe forced her expression to remain bland, not to reveal her ‘what the hell’ face to Viola. That was when it hit her. What she’d just read in that email from Carlito. “Your first name is Courtney.” There had been a Courtney V Rice in the list of names Detective Duarte had sent her. Viola Rice. It was too much of a coincidence that a woman with the same last name of Rice was on that list. Zoe wished she’d figured that
out sooner, but it probably wouldn’t have done her any good because Viola had somehow gotten into this house past the security system undetected. Zoe couldn’t figure out how.
When Viola didn’t respond, Zoe continued. “Do you need medical help?” Zoe motioned to the scrapes and cuts visible where her clothes were ripped. Had she gotten cut with glass?
Viola snorted. “Don’t act like you care. Get up. Both of you!” She whipped her gaze to Sawyer, but kept the weapon trained on Zoe.
A surreal iciness filled Zoe’s veins as she looked at Sawyer. He nodded and slowly stood with her.
“What do you plan to do with us?” Sawyer asked, his movements glacially slow as he stepped onto where he’d been sitting.
Zoe couldn’t tell if he was going to go for the weapon or if he was just moving slowly because he didn’t want to startle Viola.
“Maybe a murder-suicide.” She laughed, the eerie sound bouncing off the walls of the small alcove, the wind whistling over the ocean creepy background music.
“No one will ever believe that,” Zoe said, stepping up onto the seat too.
“And you’re never going to do anything with the safety on,” Sawyer said, derision in his voice.
Viola frowned and turned the gun to the side to inspect it. That was all the distraction Sawyer needed.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as he dove for the towel covering his gun. Instinct kicked in as Zoe jumped in the opposite direction over the hot tub ledge. Staying separated would make it harder for Viola to shoot them both.
Viola screamed and swiveled toward Zoe, gun raised. There was nowhere to go.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Bracing for the pain, Zoe cringed, all the muscles in her body pulling taut as she landed on the wooden deck with a thud. Viola just stood there, staring eerily at Zoe.
Her heart beat out of control. Had she been shot? Too stunned to move, she flinched when the gun tumbled from Viola’s fingers, rolling along the ground before hitting the water with a splash. That was when Zoe saw the hole in the woman’s forehead. Eyes wide but not seeing anything, Viola fell to her knees before falling onto her face. The other two shots she’d heard must have hit her in the chest, but it was impossible to tell with all that black clothing.
